Quenneville delivers message loud and clear

ATLANTA -- There was a bit of pregame intrigue Saturday when Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville pulled his players off the ice just 15 minutes into the morning skate.

A visibly irritated Quenneville gathered the team near center ice, pointed his finger in anger at the group and ordered all of them to the dressing room.

“I just didn't like the way it was going and wanted to keep our energy for tonight,” Quenneville said. “I just think we can be sharper, that's all.”

Quenneville claimed he was not trying to send a message to a team that took a record of 7-7-1 into Saturday's game against the Thrashers and has looked flat more times than not over the first month.

The Hawks survived a shaky start to beat Atlanta 5-4 in a shootout.

“I just want to be ready to compete, that's all,” Quenneville said. “I think we can all raise the consistency of our game, the pace of our game.”

While captain Jonathan Toews downplayed the unusually abrupt end to the morning skate, Marty Turco and Brian Campbell didn't.

“It's nothing,” Toews said. “It's no issue at all.”

Turco felt there was a definitely a message being sent by Quenneville.

“It has a little to do with today and a lot to do with other things that have been going on probably,” Turco said. “I think our record speaks for itself, but it's more about why our record is what it is.

“Part of it might be just the attitude possessed by this team, and I think everybody knows attitude goes a long way and just doesn't start with the drop of the puck.

“It's a bold statement about something like that generalness. It just stems from the unhappiness of where we are as a team, the attitude we're maintaining and the position we are with our record.

“He's kind of fed up a little bit.”

Added Campbell: “He expects a lot of energy from us. We skate all of 15-20 minutes (in the morning); the least we can do is provide that for him.”

Breaking bread:

Dustin Byfuglien played the good host and picked up the tab at dinner Friday for himself, Andrew Ladd, Ben Eager and many of his former Hawks teammates.

“I thought I would be a nice guy,” Byfuglien joked.

“Johnny (Toews) didn't pick up the tab even with that playoff bonus,” Ladd said.

“It was a good time to be back together with the guys, still laughing at the same jokes,” Byfuglien said. “It was just Duncs being Duncs, Sharpie doing some jokes and Tazer being in the middle of all of it the same old good things.”

Never say never:

Thrashers defenseman Brent Sopel, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, wouldn't mind finishing his career back with the Hawks.

“I'd love to if the opportunity is there, but I take it one year at time,” Sopel said. “I'd like to play here for a while and see where this team can go.”

Sopel's family stayed behind at their home in Chicago, and he plans to stay after he retires.

“At the end of the day if I can come back to Chicago, that would be great,” Sopel said.